Richard E. Blahut^[1] (born June 9, 1937),^[2] former chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, is best known for his work in information theory (e.g. the Blahut–Arimoto algorithm used in rate–distortion theory). He received his PhD Electrical Engineering from Cornell University in 1972.

Blahut was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 1990 for pioneering work in coherent emitter signal processing and for contributions to information theory and error control codes.

Blahut taught at Cornell from 1973 to 1994. He has taught at Princeton University, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, the NATO Advanced Study Institute, and has also been a Consulting Professor at the South China University of Technology. He is also the Henryk Magnuski Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and is affiliated with the Coordinated Science Laboratory.

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• IEEE Claude E. Shannon Award, 2005
• IEEE Third Millennium Medal
• TBP Daniel C. Drucker Eminent Faculty Award 2000
• IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal 1998, for "contributions to error-control coding, particularly by combining algebraic coding theory and digital transform techniques."
• National Academy of Engineering 1990
• Japanese Society for the Propagation of Science Fellowship 1982
• Fellow of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 1981, for the development of passive surveillance systems and for contributions to information theory and error control codes.^[3]
• Fellow of IBM Corporation, 1980
• IBM Corporate Recognition Award 1979
• IBM Outstanding Innovation Award 1978
• IBM Outstanding Contribution Award 1976
• IBM Resident Study Program 1969–1971
• IBM Outstanding Contribution Award 1968

• Lightwave Communications, with George C. Papen (Cambridge University Press, 2019) ISBN 978-1108427562
• Cryptography and Secure Communication, (Cambridge University Press, 2014) ISBN 978-1-107-01427-5
• Modem Theory: An Introduction to Telecommunications, (Cambridge University Press, 2010) ISBN 978-0521780148
• Fast Algorithms for Signal Processing, (Cambridge University Press, 2010) ISBN 978-0521190497
• Algebraic Codes on Lines, Planes, and Curves: An Engineering Approach, (Cambridge University Press, 2008) ISBN 0-521-77194-3
• Theory of Remote Image Formation, (Cambridge University Press, 2004) ISBN 978-0-521-55373-5
• Algebraic Codes for Data Transmission, (Cambridge University Press, 2003) ISBN 0-521-55374-1
• Algebraic Methods for Signal Processing and Communications Coding, (Springer-Verlag, 1992) ISBN 978-3540976738
• Digital Transmission of Information, (Addison–Wesley Press, 1990) ISBN 978-0201068801
• Fast Algorithms for Digital Signal Processing, (Addison–Wesley Press, 1985) ISBN 0-201-10155-6
• Theory and Practice of Error Control Codes, (Addison–Wesley Press, 1983) ISBN 978-0201101027

• IEEE Biography
• ECE @ UIUC